Miss Whitlock urges Fayette County Schools to broaden substance policies, warns of vaping and testing gaps

Miss Whitlock urged Fayette County Schools officials to broaden district policies on student substance use, saying new vaping and inhalant products can evade standard tests and that limiting rules to substances labeled “illegal” or “controlled” would miss many real-world risks.

"You can't be tested for," Whitlock said, emphasizing that while schools may begin testing for fentanyl, many emerging compounds are not captured by routine screening. She warned the trend is shifting toward higher dosages and products that escape detection, creating risk for students and safety-sensitive workers who might buy items at vape shops.

Whitlock described changing compound profiles — referring to what she called “compound 3 6 8” — and noted that some products now require much larger doses to show effects. "He went over inhalants, which is another big up and coming thing," she said, urging attention to inhalants alongside vaping products.

She recommended drafting policies that address harm rather than relying solely on legal classifications. "Don't just make policies about what's illegal. Consider in policies things that are harmful," Whitlock said, adding that wording limited to "illegal" or "controlled substance" could restrict the district's ability to respond to substances actually used by students or employees.

Whitlock also pointed attendees to a community resource, saying people can follow Jermaine at Tall Cops Say Stop for newsletters and podcasts and that the organization has outreach teams who speak with young people. She singled out Project Adventure as a positive example of programming tied to grant money that supports students beyond the classroom.

The chair thanked Whitlock for the presentation and closed the item without a vote, moving the meeting on to other agenda business.